The squeeze chair project

About the solution

The Squeeze Chair Project consists of a series of upholstered chairs with arms that inflate to hold the user in a firm hug.

The effects of Grandin’s autism led her, at age 18, to develop an apparatus, inspired from cattle handling chutes, which applied soothing, mechanical pressure to her body to calm her anxiety and environmental sensitivity.

During her childhood years, Temple would crave deep pressure. She would crawl under sofa cushions or wrap herself in blankets to get pressure, since he realised that she could not obtain the 'right' amount of it from people; it would be either too much or too little.

As a teenager, Temple observed cattle being branded in a squeeze chute at a relative's farm and noticed that they immediately calmed down after pressure was administered while in the chute. Temple reasoned that the deep pressure led to an overall calming effect and thought it might be able to settle her 'over-stimulated nerves' as well. So then she then built her own device which is referred to as the 'Hug Box,' the 'Hug Machine', the 'Squeeze Machine,' or the 'Squeeze Box'. Temple still uses her 'Hug Box' on a regular basis to provide her with the necessary deep pressure to cope with her anxiety.

What about you, do you have any solutions? Please share them with the Patient Innovation community!

This solution shall not include mention to the use of drugs, chemicals or biologicals (including food); invasive devices; offensive, commercial or inherently dangerous content. This solution was not medically validated. Proceed with caution! If you have any doubts, please consult with a health professional.

About the author

Temple Grandin, born in 1947, from the USA, was diagnosed with Autism when she was two years old. She teaches at Colorado State University. Along with Chicago-based artist Wendy Jacob, she invented the squeeze chairs.